Quinta da Fonte Souto Alfrocheiro '19

Quinta da Fonte Souto (in Portuguese fonte means source of water or fountain, and souto is a chestnut grove) is a project of Symington Family Estates, well known for wine and port production in the Douro. In 2017, the family acquired the 207-hectare quinta, and it is their first vineyard outside the Douro valley.

The vines on the property benefit from the cooler and wetter conditions here compared with those of the hot Alentejo plain, and the wines express the freshness and elegance encouraged by the altitude, as well as the structure and complexity from the mature, low-yielding vines. This Alfrocheiro is the first varietal wine from Quinta da Fonte Souto, made from grapes sourced at two of its highest planted vineyards, at just over 500 meters (1,640 feet). The variety is known for producing perfumed, deeply colored wines.

The Alfrocheiro grapes were manually harvested and sorted, followed by destemming and gentle crushing. Fermentation was temperature controlled, and 80% of the blend was aged 11 months in second-year 400-liter French oak barrels. The nose offers fresh aromas of blueberry, strawberry, and dark cherry and plum, with notes of cocoa, nutmeg, and anise. Pair it with herb-roasted pork or a stew made with sausage and lentils.